2003-08-01

What better way to finish the season than with a tremendous maximum checkout of 170. That is exactly what Hobs Meadow’s Paul Higgins did in the final fixture against local rivals Hobs Meadow Mixes. One player was a little bit sickened by the feat and that was Richard Taylor, who had held the highest finish of 161 for most of the season. What made it even worse was that Taylor was actually playing for Hobs Meadow Mixes and was there to witness the feat. The 6-3 result also went in favour of Hobs Meadow and that gave them the third place by just one leg of average over the Highwood. Highwood Arrows won the title with Red Arrows runners up.
Two players hit maximums in their final games, and ironically both finished on the losing side. Pat Holmes (Cock and Hens) was one of those players, seeing her team lose 6-3 to the Glades, and Terry Price (Harvester) the other, Stechford Social their victors.
In the league’s other competitions, league champions Highwood Arrows defeated their local rivals the Highwood by a massive 6-1 margin in the final of the Presidents Cup, while the Consolation Cup title went to Hobs Meadow, who had a close 5-4 verdict over the Harvester. The ladies doubles title also went to Hobs Meadow when Noreen Harris and Claire Barber beat Alice Malin and Pat Parker from the Old Bill and Bull.
The men’s doubles was won by Harvester duo Peter Staite and Chris Busby with Paul Nunn and Chris John (Highwood Arrows) runners up.
In the Mixed Doubles Knockout reigning champions, Wayne Matthews and Beattie Powell from Hobs Meadow once again reached the final, but on this occasion were unsuccessful. From the other side of the draw, Julian and Noreen Harris, team mates of Matthews and Powell, made their way to the final with victories over Mick Smith and Stephanie Didierserre (Cock and Hens) in the last eight and Andy Hinton and Sue Salter, representing Stechford Social in the semi finals.
The final went the full three legs distance with the Harris pairing claiming the honours.
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The draw for the first round of the ever popular Bedworth Gateway Open Darts Competition 2003 is as follows, The Five All’s ‘A’ (Cambridgeshire) v White Hart (Northamptonshire), Cottage Spring (West Midlands) v Crown Hotel (West Midlands), Six in Hand (Gwent) v Black Horse (Worcestershire), Wheathampstead’A’ (Hertfordshire) v Foster Arms ’B’ (Shropshire), Cabin Inn (West Midlands) v Cricketers Arms (Bedworth), True Briton (West Midlands) v Glassey Inn (West Midlands), Woodlands WMC (Bedworth) v Snooker Social Club (West Midlands), Lincolnshire Nailer ’B’ (Skegness) v Dunstable T.F.C. (Bedford), Travellers Rest (Bedworth) v Boot Inn (Nuneaton), White Hart (Swindon) v Rock Fountain (Shrewsbury), Low Moor WMC ’B’ (Bradford) v Highfield Social Club (Blackpool), Brewers Arms (Cirencester) v Springfield WMC (West Midlands), Three Horseshoes ’A’ (Coventry) v Plough Inn (Staffordshire), Lincolnshire Nailer ’A’ (Skegness) v Nags Head ’B’ (Peterborough), Beaufort Arms ’A’ (Cheltenham) v Anchor Inn (Worcestershire), High Street WMC (Swindon) v Talbot Inn (Leamington Spa), Three Horseshoes (Cambridgeshire) v Nottingham Oddfellows WMC (Leicestershire), Gun Tavern (Worcestershire) v Fosters Arms ’A’ (Shropshire), Duple Social Club ’A’ (Blackpool) v Rollers Arms (West Midlands), Bear and Rugged Staff (Bristol) v Galleon Inn ’A’ (Devon), Three Horseshoes ’B’ (Coventry) v Wednesbury Royal BLC (West Midlands), Marham Main Social Club (Doncaster) v Brown Horse (Wirral), Dovy Inn (Worcestershire) v New Inn ’A’ (Worcestershire), Galleon Inn ’B’ (Devon) v Bees Knees (Cirencester), New Inn ’B’ (Worcestershire) v Nags Head ’B’ (West Midlands), Stirchley United WMC (Birmingham) v Commercial Hotel (Cheshire), Chatteris WMC (Cambridgeshire) v Five All’s ’B’ (Cambridgeshire), Duple Social Club ’B’ (Blackpool) v Oak and Ivy (West Midlands), Wheathampstead ’B’ (Hertfordshire) v Erwood Inn ’A’ (Powys), Stockingford Sports and Social Club (Nuneaton) v Nags Head ’A’ (Peterborough), Beaufort Arms ’B’ (Cheltenham) v Rowley Labour Club (West Midlands), Crown and Cushion (West Midlands) v Bradford Arms (Walsall), Erwood Inn ’B’ (Powys) v Nags Head ’A’ (West Midlands), Low Moor WMC ’A’ (Bradford) v Broadstone (West Midlands).
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The Sheldon and District League have been engaged with the play off of their Denis Houlders Trophy. The semi finals saw two close encounters where there were two very different endings for two Saltley Amateur Gardeners teams. Both teams were involved in 3-2 results, the ‘A’ side just losing out to Castle Vale Residents Association, while the ‘B’ team got the better of the Three Horse Shoes ‘B’ to reach the final.
Once again the scoreline in the final was as the semi’s 3-2, with Saltley Amateur Gardeners ‘B’ lifting the title.
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A final reminder to all players that the Heartlands Club, Aston Church Road, Nechells, Birmingham is the setting for this month’s Heartlands UK Open 2003, which is to be a weekend of darts. There will be a doubles knockout on the Saturday followed by a singles competition on Sunday with approximate prize money totalling £1000. Entry to both competitions is £6 per player. For further information the man to contact is Bill Morris who can be reached on 07791-769913.
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